Since our launch in May 2007, we’ve been thrilled to see so many creative uses of Facebook Platform. We’re delighted by the resources developers have invested, the value they’ve delivered to our community of users, and the trust in Facebook that indicates.

As part of our continuing iteration of Facebook Platform, we constantly try to clarify and adjust policies and technical functionality to better protect users and enhance user experience. (The recent prohibition on the word “message” in feed stories is an example.) By ensuring the best environment for users, we think we’re also best serving the developer community.

While we understand that good-faith errors are possible, developers should always be cognizant of their obligations under the Developer Terms of Service and other elements of Facebook policy. Effective immediately, we’re restricting access for a period of time to Mini-Feed, News Feed, notifications, and other Facebook Platform functionality for any applications engaging in deceptive or malicious behavior. This measured action is in response to multiple violations of Facebook policies, generating an anomalously high level of user complaints.

The vast majority of the Facebook developer community is well-intentioned and unlikely to ever be impacted by an enforcement action; we strive to work with developers to correct any issues we discover. But when necessary we will act quickly to correct problems and ensure a better Facebook Platform experience for all.

If you’re not sure if something is ok, please drop us a line at developers-help@facebook.com before implementing it; we’d be happy to assist you. Also please contact us if you wish to report a Developer Terms of Service violation or suggest changes to policy to improve user experience or clarify meaning.

We’re excited about the growth of Facebook Platform and always do our best to ensure a thriving application ecosystem where user experience is paramount -- which we believe also creates the best developer experience.